The Great British Bake Off: The Second Baker Leaves The Tent

29 September 2021

In Tuesday’s night’s episode of The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4, Jürgen was named Star Baker for the second week and Jairzeno,  51 from London was the second baker to leave the tent.

It was week 2 for our remaining bakers and crunch time in the tent with Biscuit Week, kicking off with their twist on filled brandy snaps.    For their next challenge,  they produced a jammy childhood favourite in the technical.    And finally, in the showstopper, they put their design and engineering skills to the test creating an interactive toy made exclusively from biscuit. 

At the end of the second episode Matt announced that Jürgen was the Star Baker.   Noel followed saying this job gets harder the more we get to know you, and the person leaving the tent this week is Jairzeno.   On the show Jairzeno said: ‘I was half expecting that result because my showstopper compared to everybody else’s was quite basic.’

Here Jairzeno talks about his experience:  ‘In the first challenge I really did run out of time and I was rushing around, although I finished it didn’t have my usual presentation.  In the technical I overbeat the mixture and that didn’t go in my favour.  The mast on my boat fell down in the Showstopper and I lost a sail so it didn’t look as great at the end as all the other Bakers.  I kind of knew there and then it was time to go.  In the future I will make biscuits that don’t involve engineering!

‘It was a sense of relief that I made it to the second episode, and I was sad to leave all the other Bakers in there but I had a great time.  Even though you are leaving the tent it was lovely to get home and see everybody.

‘I watched the episodes with my partner and I made a cake each time, I wanted to try some new flavours.  I thought I would feel really uncomfortable watching myself on TV, but I found it good viewing and it was great to see what the other bakers were getting up to.  I will be tuning in each week of course, I have watched every series of Bake Off.

‘Bake Off is the kind of commitment that you make only with the help and support of your partner and those close to you.   It’s been a wonderful thing to share the excitement of the launch episode and I couldn’t have done it without them.  I like to think that I have made them proud of my achievement in getting into the tent and then enjoying watching the episodes.

‘It has been a huge baking learning curve for me, and although I don’t think it will change my life or career too much it’s been an experience I will never forget.  I never thought in a million years that I would get through the audition process, let alone end up in the tent.

‘It was really interesting to learn what goes into making a television programme, and some of the funniest moments in the tent were chatting with Noel, he says some very unexpected things.

‘For me, the best moment was walking into the tent for the first time. The worst moment was when things went wrong and all eyes were on you.  I found the most difficult challenge was constructing three dimensional figures  for the biscuit show stopper.   I have never done stuff like that before, and I found it hard.

‘My favourite challenge  was the anti-gravity cake.  I didn’t finish it in the tent but I did at home, so funnily enough that was my favourite.

 ‘It was such a great experience to be on Bake Off and I loved  meeting other bakers who are so passionate about baking.  I wanted to impress Prue and Paul equally, and I found their comments really helpful, they have a different perspective and that makes it interesting.

‘I am back into my fitness, lots of running and I am baking of course, developing recipes and trying new flavours,  my latest is pink grapefruit, chilli and guava.  I think life will go on as normal but perhaps a bit more experimental baking after my time in Bake Off.’

Jairzeno will join Jo Brand and Tom Allen on The Great British Bake Off: An Extra Slice on Friday 1 October on Channel 4 at 8.00 pm. 

 

Q&A with Jairzeno:

*We filmed this series in a covid secure bubble again this year, how did it feel to be meeting and living with your fellow bakers?

 It was great to meet the other bakers who were all very friendly. It was a very relaxed atmosphere living in the bubble.

 

*What did you enjoy most about being in the bubble and what did you miss most about being away from home?

I enjoyed meeting and getting to know all the other bakers the most. I missed my partner.

 

*Did you pack a lucky item for your stay?

 No I did not.

 

*During the filming time when you were away from home, where did you say you were to friends?

 I just said I was very busy working from home.

 

*Can you describe the bakers as a group this year, and are you all on a what’s app group?

Yes we are all on a WhatsApp group. The bakers were all very friendly, warm, easy going and very enthusiastic and passionate about baking.

 

*How nervous were you when Paul and Prue started judging the first signature challenge and how does it feel when they are judging the technical challenge when they don’t know who has baked which item?

I wasn’t nervous, it was great to get their feedback about the bake. In regard to the technical it was funny to hear some of the comments they would make about each baker’s technical challenge bake.

 

*Having watched Bake Off in the past, was the first day in the tent what you expected?

It was a revelation about what goes on in the actual filming process and how it is done. I quite enjoyed learning about that. To produce a one-hour episode is a very multi layered process.

 

*Are you a messy or tidy baker?

 A bit of both.

 

*Who is your baking inspiration and what age did you start baking?

I started to bake because the baked goods that I bought  were not very good. I only started to bake when I was about 41.

 

*The Bake Off family is a very exclusive club, how do you feel being a new member?

It’s a great feeling.

 

*The warmth and love you get in the Tent is a very special feeling, what is the nicest thing in baking you have done for anyone/or given them.

 I have done baking for charity events, it is nice to help others with something that I love to do.

 

* What is the cake you get asked to make the most for friends and family?

 Carrot cake.

 

*If you were a cake what would you be and why?

A lemon drizzle cake. I love citrus flavours.

 

*In three words how would you describe yourself?

Quiet, Shy, Easygoing

 

*Are there any bakes or flavours that you really dislike? and why…

No there is nothing that I really dislike.

 

*When baking at home what do you have on in the background – music/TV/podcast/radio?

Sometimes music, I listen to all types.

 

*Does it all seem a bit surreal that you have joined The Great British Bake Off family?

 Yes it does.

 

*Do you think work colleagues and friends will be shocked to see you on TV? 

They will be surprised as they kept telling me that I should apply for the GBBO.

 

* What do you think it will be like watching yourself on television?  Behind a cushion or on delayed record?

 Delayed record.

 

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Biography

Jairzeno, 51

London

Head of Finance

For Trinidadian-born Jairzeno, ‘baking is like breathing’! He started baking in 2014, after becoming disillusioned with delicious-looking bakes that just didn’t deliver on flavour – and now, in his own baking, he obsesses over flavour combinations (guava and chocolate is a firm favourite), using lots of Caribbean spices, and aiming for the perfect pâtissérie finish. Jairzeno moved to the UK from Trinidad & Tobago 15 years ago and now lives in London. He has completed multiple half marathons across Europe, and ran the London Marathon in 2012. When he’s not baking or running, he and his partner can be found cooking up a storm in their kitchen, or on walks, looking for shapes in nature to inspire Jairzeno’s next bake.

 

| A Love Production for C4   Contact:  Shelagh@shelaghpymm.co.uk |

| Images at C4 Picture Desk  Contact:  dwebb@channel4.co.uk |